1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to liquid atomizing devices such as misters and dispersants for fragrances, air fresheners and insecticides.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to atomize liquids which contain air fresheners, fragrances and insecticides by suppling the liquid to a plate which is vibrated at high frequency by a piezoelectric actuator. Battery powered atomizer devices for dispensing air fresheners and insecticides are shown for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,926 and No. 6,085,740 and in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/519,560, filed Mar. 6, 2000. It has also been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,362, to power a piezoelectric actuated atomizer with an alternating current supply.
Battery powered atomizers are subject to the amount of energy available in the battery; and they are limited in the magnitude of driving voltage that can be applied to the piezoelectric actuator. While an alternating current driven atomizer is not limited in the amount of available driving energy, the unit proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,362 does not provide for maximum drive voltage to the piezoelectric actuator element. Moreover, the proposed alternating current atomizer involves rectification and smoothing of the alternating voltages, with further processing of those voltages before they are applied across the piezoelectric element. As a result, the atomizer is complicated and expensive. Further, the known alternating current powered atomizer does not permit adjustment or variation in the operating frequency nor does it provide the ability to be controlled according to a predetermined duty cycle.